Box.



PATENTED FEB.*11, 1908. A- S; RAY.

BOX. APPLICATION FILED JULY 19, 1907.

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APPLIOATION FILED JULY 19, 1907.

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Allorneys rnlwolgms PETERS cm, WASHINGTON, n! c.

AMBROSE S. BAY, OF BELLEFONTE, PENNSYLVANIA.

BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 19 1907. Serial No. 384.597.

Patented Feb. 11, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AMBROSE S. RAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bellefonte, in the county of Center and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boxes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in boxes, and more particularly to that class adapted to be employed for shipping various articles, such as eggs, fruits, and the like, and my object is to provide means for holding the parts of the box together and in a compact form for re-shipping purposes.

A further object is to provide means for holding the parts of the box rigid when in its assembled position.

Other objects and advantages will be hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings which are made a part of this application, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the box complete in its assembled position. Fig. 2 is a transverse, sectional view thereof. Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the box in its folded or knocked-down position. Fig. 4 is a transverse, sectional view of the box when in its folded position. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of a locking clip. Fig. 6 is a detail, sectional view showing the manner of securing the side and end Walls to the bottom of the box, and, Fig. 7 is a detail, perspective view of one upper corner of the box.

Referring to the drawings in which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, 1 indicates the base or floor of the box, around the edges of which are disposed flanges 2, said flanges extending upwardly from the base to form a receptacle for the side and end walls 3 and 4:, respectively, when the walls are folded together.

The lower edges of the side and end walls are provided with bars 5 and 6, respectlvely, around which are disposed straps 7 and 8, respectively, carried at the upper ends of bolts 9 and 10, respectively, said bolts bein directed through the base 1 and secure thereon in any preferred manner, as by means of nuts 11, said bolts forming hinges for the side and end. walls, that portion of the bars 5. and 6 engaged by the straps 7 and 8 being reduced and made circular to provide spindles, around which the straps extend and by which means the side and end walls are permitted to swing.

The bolts 9 are longer than the bolts 10, so that the side walls may be folded inwardly over the end walls, said bolts 9 being of suf ficient height to allow the bars 5 to extend over the end flanges 2 for a purpose to be hereinafter set forth.

Theupper edges of the end walls 3 and 4 are reinforced by means of cleats 12 and 13, respectively, and said Walls are held in their vertical positions by pivotally mounting on the inner faces of the side walls 3, L-shaped latches 1.4, the free end of each latch being at right angles to the face of the side wall and provided with a notch 15, which is adapted to engage a headed in 16 on the endwalls, so that when the si e and end walls are elevated and the latch engaged with the pin 1.6, the walls will be firmly held in their vertical positions.

The box is provided with a cover 17, which is arranged to fit snugly between the upper edges of the side walls 3 and 4 and is held in position between the upper edges of the walls by securing strips 18 across the upper surface of the'cover, said strips being of suflicient length to extend beyond the edges of the cover and engage the'upper edges of the side walls and the cleats 12, thereby preventing the coverfrom descending between the side and end walls.

The cover 17 is held in operative relation with the side and end walls by means of clips 19, which are provided at one end with a pocket 20 and at the opposite end with an extension 21, the pocket being adapted to engage and fit over the meeting ends of the cleats 12'and 13, while the extension 21 is provided with an elongated slot 22, through which extends a bolt 23, carried by the cover 17, the upper end of said bolt being threaded to receive a wing nut 24, by which means the clips are firmly clamped in position over the cleats and as best shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing, when the clips are properly placed over the ends of the cleats, the cover will be held against casual removal from the box and the side and end walls at the same time additionally reinforced. These clips are also employed for holding the parts of the box in its folded position and for securing the cover thereover, said clips, when the box is in its folded position, engaging the extended ends of the bars 5, as best shown in Fi 3 of the drawings, thereby positively ho ding the side and end walls in their folded position and the cover over said folded parts, the strips 18, in this instance, resting upon the bars 5.

In folding the box herein shown, the wing nuts 24 are first loosened, after which the clips 19 are moved endwise until the pocket 20 is free of the cleats 12 and 13, when the cover 17 is removed. The latches 14 are then swung upwardly until the notches 15 are released from the pin 16 when the end walls 4 are folded inwardly, as best shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. are then folded inwardly and downwardly over the two end walls, the width of the box being preferably twice the width of the height of the side walls, so that when said side walls are folded inwardly, the upper edges thereof will abut against each other, while the height of the bolts 9 above the bolts 10 is such that the laterally extended portions of the latches 14 will engage the end Walls and hold the side Walls in a horizontal position when the parts of the box are folded together. After the side and end walls are thus folded, the cover 17 is placed .over the folded parts and the bars 5, when the clips 19 are again moved inwardly and the pockets 20 engaged with the extended ends of the bars 5, when by again tightening the wing nuts 24 the parts of the box will be securely held in their folded position.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a very cheap and economical form of folding box and one wherein the walls will be rigidly held in their assembled or folded position and the cover securely fixed thereover. It will further beseen that the box may be folded to occupy a minimum amount of space when it is desired tore-shape the same, and that the box as constructed is strong and durable in all its parts.

What I claim is:

1. In a box of the class described, the combination with a base; of side and end walls for said base, bars at the lower edge of said The two side walls 3 and a pocket at the opposite end, bolts carried by said cover, and extending through said slots and means to adjustably secure said pockets over the ends of said cleats, when the box is in its assembled position and over the projecting ends of the bars on the side walls when the box is in its folded position, whereby the parts of the box will be held in their assembled or folded positions.

2. In a box of the class described, the combination with a base, having a flange around the edges thereof; of side and end walls for said base, bars at the lower edges of said side and end walls, bolts fixed to said base, straps at the upper ends of said bolts adapted to engage the bars on the side and end walls and hingedly secure the same to the base, cleats at the upper edges of said side and end walls, a cover adapted to fit between the upper edges of said walls andmeans carried by said cover adapted to engage said cleats and lock the cover in position over the box.

3. In a box of the class described, the combination with a base, side and end walls pivotally secured to said base, and cleats at the upper edges of said side and end walls; of a cover for said box, clips on said cover adapted to extend over said walls and cleats, pockets at one end of said clips adapted to engage the ends of said cleats, the opposite ends of said clips having elongated slots, bolts extending through said slots and means on the bolts to lock said clips in their ad justed position, whereby the cover will be firmly held in engagement with said walls and the walls reinforced.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

AMBROSE S. RAY.

Witnesses:

GEORGE W. REES, HORACE M. MUSSER. 

